Chapter 611: Nica's Stance! The Legendary Yokai!
Chapter 611: Nica's Stance! The Legendary Yokai!
Little Hancock, the S-Snake Woman, took the lead in the offense, once again raising her hands in a heart shape and projecting a heart-shaped light wave.
At the same time, the S-Eagle behind them leaped again, infusing her greatsword with Armed Haki, and with a mighty swing, she brought it down.
"Well-used ability," Lily commented.
Lily drew her sword swiftly, extinguishing the heart-shaped light wave with a single strike.
This ability, like Hancock's, had conceptual powers beyond petrifying those with restless hearts. Regardless of whether one harbored that evil intent, anyone hit by it would surely turn to stone.
As for whether Haki could resist the ability or the ability could break through Haki, it depended on which was stronger.
Lily had no interest in competing with her in this regard. She simply slashed, and without dodging, she deflected the incoming attack with her sword, slipping beneath the descending greatsword. Her blade's radiance pierced through the S-Eagle's chest, causing him to stiffen in midair, dropping his greatsword to the ground with a loud clang.
Lily flicked her sword, and the S-Eagle flew off it, colliding with the S-Little Bear who had extended his hand, ready to unleash a compressed air shockwave. They both tumbled to the ground.
"Slash!" Lily whispered, and her figure swiftly darted away. Her sword already glowed with the white and blue aura of Conqueror's Haki, and her body and sword transformed into a bolt of white and blue lightning, instantly rushing towards the S-Snake Woman. The lightning flashed diagonally, and as the S-Snake Woman's eyes widened in shock, Lily appeared before her, slashing diagonally with the white lightning, striking the S-Snake Woman and causing her to fall backward, collapsing to the ground.
On the ground behind them, ripples formed as Little Shimotsuki and the S-Shark emerged, but just as the S-Shark appeared halfway, Lily slashed horizontally, her blade passing through his chest and sending him flying backward with a powerful force, crashing to the ground.
The next instant, the lightning flickered, and Lily appeared at the S-Little Bear's side, slashing down once more. The light enveloped his waist, causing him to fall and remain unable to rise.
"This is the difference in strength," Lily said, dissipating the Conqueror's Haki from her sword and sheathing it at her waist. Without even glancing at the four fallen Artificial Humans, she headed towards the gate.
These Artificial Humans were actually quite capable, able to handle most Pirates but not the Shichibukai.
However, the Shichibukai were not common; each was a silver medalist on the high seas, akin to 'Vice Royals'. If practicality were the measure, an obedient Artificial Human would be far superior to a Shichibukai with their own agendas.
But the true power of the high seas was beyond the reach of current technological capabilities.
Lily surpassed even the 'Vice Royals'.
Reaching the gate, Lily slashed it down with a single stroke and stepped through.
As she entered, she saw a square-nosed man wrapped in bandages shouting, "Stop! That's—"
Lily didn't even draw her sword. Instead, she extended her white-gloved index finger, swiftly aiming it to the left. There, a golden-haired woman with bat wings on her back and bared fangs was about to bite her. Lily's Haki-infused finger aimed at the golden-haired woman's throat.
"It's one of us," the square-nosed man finished his sentence.
Lily's finger had already reached the woman's throat before she could get any closer.
"Surrender," the golden-haired woman said, raising her hands and retracting her fangs and bat wings. "Against Sword Princess, I have no chance of winning."
"Kaku?" Lily furrowed her brows. "You've made quite a mess. This battlefield is not for you and Roronoa Zoro to get involved in."
As she spoke, she retracted her hand and turned to the woman with doll-like features. "Stuuci, I thought you were an Underworld figure. Are you also connected to the World Government?"
Lily recognized the woman before her as Stuuci, one of the former 'Six Great Kings' of the Underworld and the head of the entertainment industry, the 'Queen of Joy'.
The reason for saying 'former' was that two of them had already been eliminated by Sagel.
"Both, I suppose," Stuuci replied with a faint smile. "I'm a CP0 agent of the World Government, their intelligence operative in the Underworld. But I was also created by Beckapank, based on Bakinygom, the former 'mother' of Wyper, Mr. Bakin."
"Another Artificial Human?" Lily asked.
"When Beckapank fought against the Haijun, you saved Kaku from rebellion. Which side are you on?"
Stuuci's expression turned bitter as she replied, "Can a machine like me even choose sides?"
Lily approached Kaku, confirming he was only severely injured before turning to say, "Artificial Humans are not machines. They have emotions, hearts, and the ability to think and communicate normally. As humans, they have the right to freedom of choice."
Of course, there are consequences to the choices you make."
There are people like 'Black Foot' who are Artificial Humans, and she doesn't consider them mere machines. This kind of technology creates beings that are not much different from those born naturally, except for a lack of some innate adjustments.
Those born naturally have hearts and emotions, while those created may need some perception and training to develop them.
"She saved me."
Kaku spoke slowly, "I saw it through the surveillance. All five of the Five Elders are here. If I stay here, I might not even keep my life. It's time to 'disappear'. Lily, will Ohara still accept me?"
"You still have a chance. Don't you want to be a double agent anymore?" Lily asked.
Kaku, revealing only his face, smiled bitterly, "The Governor said double agents make chicken soup. I can't make soup, so I'd rather choose a side. I prefer shipbuilding to being an assassin or a spy. I remember, Ohara doesn't prohibit people from changing professions, right?"
In his eyes, a hint of nostalgia appeared.
In that dark life of espionage and killing, the only ray of light was when he was shipbuilding in Seven Water City, and later, when he was rotated to Ohara and entered the shipyard again.
"I want to change my way of living. If possible, let me open a shipyard. Over the years, I've also accumulated quite a bit of funds."
Kaku showed a faint smile, "On the premise that I survive, of course."
"Our people only die standing, never forced to their deaths. If you want to do something, go ahead. I agree to your request."
"It's my ability. I'm an Animal-type Bat Fruit ability user. I'm not sure if I'm a Mythical Beast, but Beckapank added something to my fruit that allows me to maintain my youth through bloodsucking."
Just then, she received a call from Beckapank, who conveyed a similar message, encouraging her to start a new life as a new person.
"Entertainment industry."
"I'll transfer it to you."
"I can only guarantee your departure from here. I can't promise anything else. I agree to the trade. Give me control of the entertainment industry in exchange for your life here."
Lily looked at the large screen, which seemed to be the control room. On it, four giant shadows appeared around Satan.
"Alright, where is that so-called Mother Fire Seed? Take me there."
...
The four giant shadows revealed their true forms before Sagel. To the left of the spider, a giant demon-faced snake-bodied monster bird appeared, enveloped in black flame clouds, similar to the ogre.
Nearby, there was also a gigantic boar with a green face, sharp fangs, and four massive tusks.
To the right was a giant skeleton horse with a bone mask on its face.
Further to the right was a sandworm, larger than the other four, with a wide-open mouth revealing rows of sharp teeth.
"Each one is stranger than the last!"
Sagel chuckled, "Don't move. Let me guess."
Pointing at the giant boar, he said, "Those tusks and your beard are quite similar. The scars and spots on its skin resemble the map on your head. You must be the Map Five Elder."
He pointed at the monster bird, "That pointed beak and pointed cheeks suggest a long body, probably the tall one with long hair and a beard."
"The bone horse has a very Wa Land style, the only Five Elder in a kimono."
"So, the big worm must be the Red Skin Five Elder?"
Sagel had never met the other Five Elders, but he knew their positions. These giant beasts before him had very similar characteristics.
The most recent, smallest one said, "So, the ogre is in its legendary form. What about you? Won't you introduce yourselves?" Sagel smiled.
"That's impolite."
The demon-faced snake-bodied monster bird opened its mouth, "I am the God of Environmental War, Maracas Mazes, also known as Izanagi Heaven!"
The giant boar spoke, "I am Topman Waruchuli, the God of Legal War."
"Seal Boar!"
"Shepherd X. Peter, Sandworm form, also known as the God of Agricultural Warfare," the Sandworm spoke.
"Izanbaron V Nas Shurou, God of Financial Warfare."
Bone Horse spoke calmly, "Bone Horse. Norton Sagel, it's a pity that you've chosen to be our enemy. We'll show you that being a content pirate on the high seas is far happier than meddling in the affairs of the World Government."
"Hmph, legends from all over, are there three Japanese legends? There's also a Western legend, but you..."
Sagel pointed at the Giant Boar, "Seal Boar? With that appearance, are you worthy or not? Let me test it out!"
As he spoke, his expression turned serious, and the black jade beads around his neck scattered, igniting flames that transformed into a flame ring floating behind his head. His cloak also detached from his back and slowly rose, disappearing into the clouds, turning the sky cloudy.
Immediately, Sagel's body also rose slowly into the air, carried by the wind. He pointed a finger at the sky and bared his teeth at the giant beasts, cackling,
"First, let us..."
"Hahahaha!"
Before he could make a move, a joyful laughter suddenly echoed from behind. A white-haired figure with a free-spirited aura leaped forward with agility, covering one eye and rubbing his belly with the other, laughing.
"Let me join the battle too! You damn guys, you're the villains targeting Bonny!"
Sagel glanced sideways, "Straw Hat..."
"Oh! White-haired man!"
Luffy burst into laughter, "It's been a while since we last met. I lost to you in Wa Land, but this time we're not enemies. These guys' opponents are me!"
"Oh? You've gained some consciousness?"
Sagel was surprised, "You're a bit different from the last time."
Compared to the form he saw in Wa Land, this appearance seemed to have some sense of self, unlike the dazed and confused state from before.
However,
"There's still a hint of mindless joy."
Sagel shook his head dismissively, "It's rare to have time to escape, don't waste it."
As for whether he hated himself or considered himself an enemy, Sagel didn't care.
Pirates, after all, were about winning or losing on the high seas. Luffy's defeat was a defeat, and he acknowledged it, which made Sagel respect him even more. If he stubbornly persisted, it would be less of a concern, even though it was a pirate's way.
Only with this attitude could one aspire to be the Pirate King.
Luffy thought the same; although losing Momonosuke was heartbreaking, it was like life itself, including when Sabo returned.
If he couldn't do it, it was because he lacked the strength, and he couldn't blame others.
Sagel wasn't a good person, but in his eyes, he wasn't purely evil either.
Being able to fight also meant they could cooperate.
"I want to avenge Bonny! I want to avenge Uncle Ace! Lilith told me, and now I want to beat them up!" Luffy laughed heartily.
"That's right! I also want to avenge my father!"
Bonny, who was taken away by Sanji, had somehow returned. She looked up at the two figures with similar stances, initially puzzled, but finally fixed her gaze on Luffy.
That was Nika.
The stance her father spoke of, the future from the legends.
That stance, she had wanted to see for so long!
"Nika's stance!"
Bonny took a deep breath, and in that instant, her hair turned white and 'burned' as she jumped high, raising her fist and shouting,
"Let's go together!"
"Nika?"
Satan's upper body contracted into the spider's body, leaving only the head, making its spider form even more hideous.
"You could've just left, but since you came to seek death, it's perfect. I'll take care of Nika and shatter Bonny's confidence. Let her understand that Nika is nothing." Satan spoke in a deep voice.
"Looks like a giant has arrived."
Bone Horse, on the other hand, underwent a transformation, shrinking to around six meters while his upper body revealed the form of an elderly bald man with glasses. He also had a wooden sword sheath hanging from his waist.
Nas Shurou glanced towards the outer side of the island, gripping the sword hilt with one hand, "Not a single person on this island will be spared."
Whoosh!
Boom!
As he finished speaking, he moved his skeletal horse legs, ready to charge forward. But just as he started to move, a bolt of lightning abruptly descended, striking him directly.
"Who said you could leave?"
Sagel glared down at them, "I also want to test your mettle!"
(End of Chapter)
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